Sierra trip 2005    Sept 9-19th
Deadman and Cloud Canyons, Kaweah Basin and 9 lakes basin.

Day 1: Crescent Meadow--Bearpaw Meadow
Day 2: Bearpaw meadow--upper Deadman Canyon
Day 3: upper Deadman Canyon--Cloud Canyon
Day 4: Cloud Canyon
Day 5: Cloud Canyon--Gallats Meadow
Day 6: Gallats Meadow--"Picket Guard" lake
Day 7: "Picket Guard" lake--Kaweah Basin
Day 8: Kaweah Basin--9 lakes basin
Day 9: 9 lakes basin--Bearpaw Meadow
Day 10: Bearpaw Meadow--Crescent Meadow

You can click on the pics to see full res versions of each image.
These are big files, so you're probably only going to want to do that if you have a broadband connection.

Day 1: Crescent Meadow--Bearpaw Meadow

The requisite shot. Clean hikers. Note looks of optimism.

We had fog 90% of the day. Fog in the sierras? yup, just like good 'ol pacifica. The trail the first day was pretty straightforward. You walk, mostly flat, a little up and down and after awhile you come to Bearpaw camp. Ta da. This deer was waiting for us at our camp, along with a little sun. Despite having tried to get in shape before hand, we were both tired, mostly, I think from adjusting to the altitude. The fog came in at night and it was as dark as I've ever seen it in the sierras.

Day 2: Bearpaw meadow--upper Deadman Canyon

The fun began on this day. We got a late start out of Bearpaw camp (still getting over altitude I think) and headed north to cross Elizabeth pass, about 4000ft above us. With nearly full packs on a 10 day trip, this was slow going.

looking up lone pine creek towards tamarck lake	looking back towards valhalla. we'll be coming down that valley on day 9

as we climbed towards the pass, the weather started to close in. but no rain fortunately.	almost there. the pass is the low spot on the ridge ahead.

View of glacier ridge from elizabeth pass. Be nice to go up there someday.

We finally make it over the pass at 6pm. My thermometer read 40 degrees but with the strong wind it was much colder. We could see the first trees down in Deadman Canyon about 3-4 miles down the trail and reasoned that there was probably a good campsite there. Indeed there was. We made it to camp by about 8pm, assisted by headlamps. By the time we got there, we had frost running down the back of our backpacks. Still, I'll take cold over rain any day.

Looking back towards the pass. We left the clouds behind	Alpen glow on glacier ridge

Day 3: upper Deadman Canyon--Cloud Canyon
The goal for day 3 was just to go down Deadman canyon to roaring river ranger station then swing around into Cloud canyon and Big Wet Meadow. A fair amount of walking, but the terrain is gentle in here and you can move fairly quickly.

The traditional taping of the feet after the first hard day. Duct tape is much better (really) than mole skin, in case you're wondering	Looking back up Deadman Canyon towards the pass. Our campsite is just off the right edge of this photo.

Looking back up the canyon from, I think, ranger meadow. The cirque that holds Big Bird lake is the dark ridge just to the right of center. Glacier ridge rises to your immediate left in this picture.	Some nice slickrock, looking down Deadman canyon.

We arrived at Big Wet Meadow late in the day. Stunning view. Its been cold enough that there were only a few mosquitoes kicking around. I suspect that the little buggers can get pretty thick around here.

When we were looking for a campsite this evening, we encountered one solo hiker. This turned out to be the last person we saw until late morning on Day 9, almost 6 days later. It's amazing how easy it is to find this kind of solitude in the Sierras, still. There are over 36 million people living in California...

Day 4: Rest day in Cloud Canyon
The picture below pretty much sums it up. We were tired, we slept in, we lay by the creek and watched the fish, we saw no one.

Day 5: Cloud Canyon--Gallats Meadow/Lake
This was a long day full of amazing scenery. What more could you want :).

climbing out of cloud canyon and looking back	looking west towards the whaleback.

Colby lake was truly stunning. I'd love to spend some more time here on a future trip. Like several remote alpine lakes I've seen, it had many trout casaully cruising the shallows looking for food. You could easily watch them all day and not get bored.

one straight dead tree	View from colby lake towards colby pass. Colby pass is near the center of the picture at the low spot in the ridge. The trail going up was not in great shape, but it was good enough to get you there. Probably would be tricky for horses though.

here's the view from colby pass. There was a cold breezing blowing, but you could duck out of the way pretty easily and warm yourself on the rocks. Looking North (left on this pic), you can see Colby lake, the whaleback and then glacier ridge behind that. The smog in the distance was from a few fires. Looking South (right on this pic), you are looking at the Kern-Kaweah drainage. The east-west ridges to the far right in this pic form kern-kaweah basin, picket basin and kaweah basin. We're going there.

On the pass	Descending from the pass

Descending into the Kern-kaweah drainage

arriving in the early evening at Gallats lake/meadow. Its a bit warmer than its been, particularly in this valley. We saw little evidence of people here and camped at a spot that looked like it hadn't seen visitors in quite awhile.

Day 6: Gallats Meadow--"Picket Guard" lake
Looking around the internet before this trip, I had seen some amazing pictures of the easternmost lake in Picket basin (Lake 3240m+, just to the left of the "S" in the word "Sequoia" on the Mt. Kaweah quad) and so our intention was to take a morning hike to this lake, make camp there and then have the rest of the day to explore the area. We basically did that, but the route I picked to the lake turned out to be the wrong one. So we ended up slogging thru some nasty class 3 cross-country to get there. Not pleasant, but still worth it.

Looking down the kern-kaweah valley from the southern end of gallats lake. On the right, you can see a little north/south step in the western slope. If you follow that step, you'll see it ends to the right of a little bump. "Picket Guard Lake" is behind that bump. We ascended to that step and then followed it to the lake. DON'T DO THAT. It was harder than it looked. NO NO NO. Instead, follow the trail down the Kern-Kaweah valley for awhile and then simply head up-slope (south) to the lake. That looked quite straightforward.

Ascending to the step. It was easily class 3 in places, though not in this picture.

Panoramic view of "Picket Guard Lake". The campsite can be seen in the far right of the picture. The high point in the distance is Mt. Whitney. Is this the most beautiful campsite in the High Sierra? perhaps.

I took the afternoon and explored Picket creek basin. The low point in the ridge to your left is where we'll cross into Kaweah basin the next day. you can see it pretty clearly on the map and you can see it pretty clearly when you're there. its easy.	Near the end of Picket creek basin. lots of talus.

Looking back towards the sierra crest from the end of Picket creek basin	"Picket Gaurd Lake" at sunset. The last light is just leaving Mt. Whitney

This area just kinda makes you take picture after picture. you get the idea.

Day 7: "Picket Guard" lake--Kaweah Basin

The plan for day 7 was to move camp from "Picket Guard" lake to a place in Kaweah Basin near the treeline and, in the process, do some exploring.

Camp at sunrise	Looking the other direction a little later in the day.

Can't stop taking pictures...	Us

If you go to the east rim of the lake and look out, this is what you see. Junction Meadow is the low spot in the picture	We found this huge quartz vein in Kaweah basin.

We're camped down there near tree line. we took a walk in the afternoon up the basin and took this picture looking back.

Day 8: Kaweah Basin--9 lakes basin

The plan for Day 8 was to cross Pyra-Queen col and camp in Nine Lakes basin. We made it, but it was a hard hard day. The actual hiking wasn't terribly technical, though there were some steep places. The killer was the practically endless talus. It starts in earnest just after treeline in Kaweah basin and didn't really let up till you reached the west end of lake 11682. And actually, it went a bit further than that. No sprained ankles, but the usual scrapes here and there and even a nice rip in a pair of pants. It took us 8-9 hrs of walking to go from camp to camp. But of course, what scenery, what amazing beautiful country. The sierras are like that.

Sunrise on the Kaweahs. So beautiful. I could never get bored with this.

Climbing up the basin	At the base of squaretop

	Looking back towards the head of the basin. Mt. Kaweah is a third of the way in from the right. Kaweah pass, is the low point in the center. Looked steep on this side.

Following the gulley that eventually leads to the pass. This gulley points north-west	Looking at the ridge that contains Pyra Queen col (12880ft+). the pass is 100 or so feet to the left of the prominent, dark colored notch/bump (the notch/bump is centered in this picture).

View of the Black Kaweah from the pass. wow.	View of lake 11682 from the pass. If it weren't for the smog, you could see all the way to the central valley.

Panorama of Kaweah basin from the pass.

Panorama looking west from the pass. Kaweah queen is the peak to the right.

In the interest of trying to give people a more accurate sense of what is was like to be up there, I shot a high res movie (24mb file. right click the link and download it to your local machine) of myself showing both sides of the pass. I think I'll do more of this in the future. It really gives you a good sense for the place.

Us with Kaweah basin in the background	The way down. steep and very loose rock. We ended up following the wall on the right.

Ara coming down.	Part way down the slope. This talus is really getting tiring, ok? Pass is the left to right notch near the center of the frame.

Getting near lake 11682. we had to cross the headwall on the left side (slightly out of the frame). Judging by the tracks, it seems others do this as well. Ara is on the snowfield if you want scale.	Finally made it to the lake. ( The pass is the left to the right notch near the center of the frame.) "Did we really cross that ridge?" "yes" "Do you have some thread to sew my pants?" "yes"

=
Stumbling, literally, into a nice meadow. we camped here, just above the heart shaped lake in nine lakes basin.

Day 9: 9 Lakes Basin--Bearpaw Meadow

Panorama from below the meadow, near the heart shaped lake.

Huge panorama of nine lakes basin area from Kaweah gap. Black Kaweah is the mountain poking through the top of the frame in the center of the picture.

Ara celebrates the return of the trail	One fat marmot

Precipe lake	Precipe Lake plus leisure

Looking down Valhalla towards Angel Wings	The trail going down actually has a tunnel. wow.

A narrow tunnel actually	Looking back towards Kaweah gap. The bowl for precipice lake is top center. Eagle Scout Peak is the high point.

the classic view from hamilton lake	The deer had been waiting for our return to the low(er) country.

Looking back up Lone pine creek. This was the area we climbed on day 2	The old bridge over Lone Pine creek seen from the edge of the new bridge over Lone Pine creek

Day 10: Bearpaw Meadow--Crescent Meadow

This trail brought to you by the wonders of dynamite	Looking back at the great western divide.

The first sequioas we saw	"Civilization", such as it is. what's for dinner?